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Siemens has been selected by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to install an eHighway system near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two largest ports in the US.

Siemens eHighway is the electrification of select highway lanes via a catenary system that supplies trucks with electric power, similar to how modern day trolleys or streetcars are powered on many city streets.

Siemens will install a two-way, one-mile mile catenary system and demonstrate the project with different battery-electric and hybrid trucks. The expected result is lower fossil fuel consumption, reduced smog-forming, toxic and CO2 emissions, and lower operating costs.

The one-year demonstration will start in July 2015.

Siemens and the Volvo Group, via its subsidiary Mack Trucks brand, are developing a demonstration vehicle for the project. Siemens also is supplying current collectors, the technology that allows trucks to connect and disconnect from the catenary system at any speed, to local California truck integrators whose vehicles will also be part of the demonstration.

Up to four trucks will be running in the demonstration, making multiple drives per day.

To further ensure the same flexibility as conventional trucks, the eHighway vehicles use an electric drive system, which can be powered either by diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), battery or other on-board energy source, when driving outside of the catenary lines.